The Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) Bill 2019 [“the Regulation Bill”] and the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) Bill 2019 [“the Registration Bill”] were laid on the table of the Senate for third reading debate on 15 June 2020 and subsequently, were passed by the Senate on the same day.
The Regulation Bill, popularly known as the ‘Deregulation Bill’, proposes amendment to the Migration Act 1958 (Cth), interalia, to remove unrestricted legal practitioners from the regulatory scheme that governs migration agents. Further, the Registration Bill proposes amendment to the Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Act 1997 (Cth) for payment of adjusted charge for providing non-commercial immigration assistance.
Until the Bills received the Royal assent to become a valid law, the provisions would not be in effect and accordingly, the immigration lawyers must remain registered with the OMARA.
The text of the Regulation Bill as passed by both the Houses of Parliament can be accessed here.
